Wireless networks use various network links throughout the wireless network to communicate. For example, access nodes of the wireless network(s) may use network links to coordinate data packet transmissions with other access nodes, processing nodes, and/or wireless devices. Accordingly, these wireless networks rely on well-established network infrastructures and links to provide efficient communication services. In certain circumstances, portions of the wireless network(s) can experience high loading and/or poor channel conditions. For example, when wireless networks experience network overload conditions such as large amounts of data traffic (i.e., congestion) and/or high resource usage, the overall performance of the wireless network can deteriorate. In an effort to combat this deterioration, wireless networks may implement various load balancing techniques. But, these load balancing techniques often do not consider Quality of Service (QoS) metrics. Consequently, wireless device(s) of the wireless network may be unnecessarily moved from one access node and/or carrier band to another based on artificial congestion and/or resource usage.